The latest Ken Paxton news from The Texas Tribune.
Texas' mask mandate was lifted this week, and Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered that "no jurisdiction" can implement a local one if coronavirus hospitalizations don't meet a certain metric. Full Story
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Health officials had told Planned Parenthood's Medicaid patients they had until early February to find new doctors, but the health provider filed an emergency lawsuit saying the state had not followed the proper procedures. Full Story
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Beleaguered Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who attended the pro-Donald Trump rally that preceded the U.S. Capitol siege, issued civil investigative demands to Twitter after the company banned the former president from its platform. Full Story
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A Travis County judge opted to move forward with Monday's hearing without ruling on the motion to dismiss the whistleblower lawsuit. Late Monday night, an appeals court halted the second day of proceedings at the request of the agency's attorney. Full Story
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Griddy claims it billed some customers tens of thousands of dollars due to skyrocketing wholesale electricity prices. Meanwhile, Brazos Electric Power Cooperative Inc. filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday calling those price increases "devastating." Full Story
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On this week's TribCast, Matthew talks with Ross, Alana and Erin about the political fallout from the winter storm and what the state might do to prevent future widespread power outages. Full Story
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Ken Paxton's campaign confirms he attended "a previously planned meeting with the Attorney General of Utah to discuss several matters, including strategizing on imminent action in the Google lawsuit." Full Story
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Paxton's legal troubles are increasing in volume, at just about the time an officeholder in his position would be thinking about the next round of elections. Full Story
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On this week's TribCast, Matthew speaks with Kate, Karen and Mitchell about Attorney General Ken Paxton's latest legal problems, the vaccine rollout and the politics of energy in Biden-era Texas. Full Story
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A court filing documents what Paxton’s whistleblowers believe led to an alleged “bizarre, obsessive use of power.” Full Story
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Judge Drew Tipton originally issued a 14-day suspension of Biden’s moratorium on Jan. 26. The pause in deportations was part of Biden’s attempted day one overhaul of several of former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. Full Story
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Their plea comes just days after a state district judge temporarily stopped the state from excluding Planned Parenthood from Medicaid, a government health insurance program for the poor. A hearing is scheduled for later this month. Full Story
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The deportation moratorium was part of a package of immigration-reform measures the new administration proposed on Inauguration Day. Full Story
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President Joe Biden issued an executive order calling for a 100-day moratorium on some deportations as part of a sweeping review and reset of immigration and enforcement policies. Full Story
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As the new president and vice president were taking their oaths in Washington, D.C., the state's top lawyers were promising to legally challenge the new administration at every step. Full Story
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Experts say the GOP's rhetoric about Section 230 of a 1996 communications law suggests a deep misunderstanding of how it works. Full Story
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The state’s GOP leaders have launched a campaign against technology and social media companies after officials and followers faced repercussions for sowing the election doubts that fueled the Capitol insurrection. Full Story
For the past four years, Texas Republicans have had an ally in the White House. Now they’re readying for the familiar role of conservative counterweight. Full Story
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In a lawsuit, four former Paxton aides claim they were wrongfully terminated for reporting alleged criminal behavior on his part. Paxton’s agency wants a judge to quash subpoenas and depositions, saying that as an elected official Paxton is exempt from state whistleblower protection laws. Full Story
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At a low point in his rollercoaster political career, Paxton is betting on the Trump base to bring him back up the hill, lending the legitimacy of office to debunked claims that have motivated violence. Full Story
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